QSC ISE 2017 PREVIEW

With the introduction of a renewed ceilingspeaker range and matching pendants, QSC introduces a renewed ceiling speaker range and matching pendants to complete a comprehensive commercial speaker offering. All part of the AcousticDesign range, the speakers are designed to deliver consistent sound such that venue patrons can move from space to space and remain in the same sonic signature environment.

The four new ceiling mount loudspeakers offer consistent off-axis performance and high-quality audio reproduction for installations. The two-way speakers have snap-fit magnetic grilles and are available in four- and six-inch variants with 120° and 105° dispersion, respectively. The pendants have the same drivers, grilles, look and performance as the ceiling speakers, and are likewise available in four-inch and six-inch models in black and white.

QSC has also introduced matching commercial amplifiers in half-rack size. Developed to meet amplification needs in boardrooms, conference rooms, and other corporate spaces, the new SPA convection cooled range offers Energy Star compliance in two- and four-channel solutions. SPA2-60 has two channels of Low-Z output into 4Ω or 8Ωs, but can be bridged to provide 70V or 100V output. SPA4-60 is similar but with more channels for pairing stereo channels with a single 70V or 100V output, or a Sub/Sat combination.The range also includes SPA2-200 and SPA4-100.

QSC AcousticDesign ceiling speakers retail for between $329 and $449, and the pendants $449 and $599, four- and six-inch respectively.

In other QSC news, the Q-Sys I/O-8 Flex Channel Expander joins the company’s Q-Sys platform. With eight flexible audio I/O channels, I/O-8 Flex lets you configure each channel via Q-Sys Designer Software as either a balanced mic/line input with phantom power, or as a line level output. It also offer PoE+ for single-cable deployments, plus an auxiliary DC power input for redundancy when required. The chassis is ideal for mounting under conference tables, on the wall, or in a rack.

At ISE 2017, QSC will be demonstrating its 4th generation Q-Sys software on a high-performance standard Dell EMC PowerEdge R730 server to provide a glimpse into the future of the market where larger installations use centralised data centre processing. The technology that’ll be on display is the next evolution of Q-Sys’s design paradigm, decoupling existing Q-Sys software from proprietary hardware and creating an architecture where centralised AVC processing can live in the data centre. Now processing-intensive features like AEC and feedback suppression can become a shared resource for any meeting room across the enterprise. Combine this with a portfolio of cost-effective meeting room I/O peripherals and you can reliably distribute content and control using existing IT network infrastructure.